A Daily Analysis
By Marc Schulman

August 16 , 2007 Abbas and Olmert Work Towards an Agreement

According to observers, Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas are working hard to reach an agreement, in principle, on all the major issues of a final settlement agreement.  The agreement will be physically between one to four pages long and will lay out the major terms for a final settlement. 
 
Minister of Interior Sheetrit was interviewed today on London and Kirshenbaum.  Even though he was not aware of any details, he welcomed any agreement that could be made.  He stated that Kadima was brought into existence for one purpose, to reach a peace agreement.  If Kadima does not succeed, there would have been no reason to leave the Likud.  Sheetreet further said that Olmert could either "make history or be history".
 
Sheetrit detailed the major changes he wants to make in the Ministry of Interior. He wants to institute new identity cards and passports, as the current ones, he claimed, are easy to counterfeit.  He also wants to redo the whole department of Population Registry and make it much easier to get a passport.  Finally, he wants to change the Law of Return.  He wants every Jew to able to come to Israel to live and work. However  Sheetreet want Jews to actually apply for citizenship. He wants them to take a citizenship exam as well, before becoming a citizen.  That is an interesting idea.
 
The Syrians have been hinting that they want to be invited to the summit that President Bush is putting together.  Assad seems unsure whether he is comfortable with the bear hug in which he is held by the Iranians. Assad's contradictory policies are affecting events in Lebanon, where tensions are rising, as the time to elect a new President rapidly approaches.